Improvement in knitting-machines



IMPROVEMENT IN KNITTING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 140,800, dated July 15, 1873 application led April 8, 41873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTHNIEL F. Tnrrr, of Battle Creek, in the county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented certain Improvements in Knittin g-Machines, of which the `dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a view of the springlever. Fig. 3 is aview of the needle as adapted to my invention by being provided. with an extension, N, beyond the projecting shank J.

A in Fig. 1 is a section of the needle-bed B, the needle-groove of the bed-plate; J, the projecting shankV of the needle. The groove B is to be cut down to such a depth as to let the needle into the bed until the upper end of the shank J passes below the surface of the bed-plate, vwhich places the needle entirely out of the way ofthe cam which operates the needles.

The lever G extends the entire length of the groove under theneedle, the groove being cut sufciently deep for the purpose. This lever is held in place at the upper end by a bar, E, the end of which is seen in Fig. 1, at E, attached to the bed in front of the jack-wires K, under which bar the upper end of the lever C is held, and the said lever is kept from slipping from its place downward by the pins I, Fig. 42, or their equivalents, near the lower end, which play in the slots S, Fig. 1, cut across the divisions between the grooves of the needle-bed. This lever is divided at its lower end, at L, and these divided parts coinpose the spring or springs which, when the 1ever is raised, open out so as to catch upon shoulders cut at the lower end of the groove,

at such a distance from the surface of the bedplate as to hold the needle in proper position when in operation.

The lever C has an arm, It, projecting from it upward and forward, as shown in Fig. 2. vThis arm is designed to engage with the extension -N of the needle, for the purpose of carrying the needle down when the lever is lowered. The lever is lowered by pressing the springs L together until they are disengaged from the shoulders aforesaid, and then pressing it down into the groove; and the extension N is made on the needle below the shank J, for the purpose of thus moving it by the arm It of the lever C, or its equivalent.

The number-plate 5 is dovetailed into the surface ofthe bed, over the slots S, and, when it is in place, prevents the lever G from being lifted out of its position; and it is also placed so far forward that the needle-shank J cannot possbly slide back so far as to interfere with the operating-cam.

When the needles are thrown out of action they are left in a position to hold the stitches constantly upon their hooks, and still avoid the danger of breaking the needles or needlebed by the cam.

I am aware that, broadly considered, it is not new to so construct knitting-machines that the needles may be lowered in their grooves, so that their shanks will be out of the way of the cams, and the needles be thus rendered inoperative, and the stitch still be retained in the hook of the needle. This I do not claim. In my invention the needles and levers are so constructed that the former may be drawn positively down into their grooves when it is desired to throw them out of action.

I claim as my invention- The bed A, providedV with the bar E, or its equivalent, and transverse slots S, in combination with the spring-lever C and the needle having the extension N, all constructed substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

Witnesses: OTHNIEL F. TRIPP.

H. H. HUBBARD, URIAH SMITH. 

